Psychology Commons^™

The Impact Of Formal Education, Specialized Training, And Offense Type On Perceptions Of Employability: Can Bias Toward Hiring A Person With A Criminal History Be Mitigated?, Rheanna Standridge

Master's Theses

Gaining employment for returning citizens has been shown to reduce recidivism and contribute to a successful community reintegration. Yet, many employers remain skeptical when it comes to hiring formerly incarcerated job candidates for a variety of reasons. Though hesitations are often related to assumptions about a person’s dangerousness, there remain legitimate reasons, such as limited formal education and basic skills, that prevent returning citizens from finding work. Further, previous research suggests that hiring decisions are confounded by offense type, even if an employer would otherwise consider a person with a criminal history. Thus, it is unclear whether returning citizens’ level …